Various forms of novelty or toy banks have been previously proposed with the objective of entertaining the depositor as coins are inserted. One form of such a bank is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,693 on which the present invention represents an improvement. Generally, the bank described in the above-referenced patent has been determined to be an effective operating unit; however, in due course the need became apparent for an improved structure. In general, the present invention is directed to a toy bank incorporating a combination of cooperating elements including apparatus for returning coins to the depositor in accordance with predetermined winning position combinations for the reels.
Somewhat more specifically, the present invention is directed to a simple, economical mechanism embodied as a coin bank with spinning reels to designate predetermined, winning combinations. A feeler mechanism senses notched indices on the reels to detect the predetermined winning combinations and control an electrical switching structure to energize a coin-delivery mechanism. Coins are dispensed by a sliding leaf which is reciprocated under a coin-holding tube, the leaf being actuated by a rotary structure which actuates an electro-mechanical counting apparatus for cooperation with the switching mechanism to control the number of coins dispensed.